Perfection
by lalalarastagirl
Summary: A Puckleberry futurefic. Rachel and Puck reconnect after she returns to Lima from Broadway with her new friends from New York.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own. Please read and review. Thanks!**

Rachel sat down in her dressing room. She looked into the mirror, face illuminated by the bright lights over the mirror. As she dusted her face with the powder to set her makeup, she glanced around the small, cramped room. For the most part, is was pink. It was Rachel's room after all, and it had been for the past three years. But this was her last show. She had thoroughly enjoyed her run as Natalie in the hit musical, Next to Normal, but her contract was up, and she had chosen not to renew. A knock on her dressing room door startled her from her thoughts, and she leaned over to open it quickly.

"Hey, babe." Her male co-star, Danny appeared. Danny played her stoner boyfriend on the stage, but behind the curtain, you could usually find him with his own boyfriend, Sebastian, who coincidentally played Rachel's onstage brother.

"Danny! Seb! What are you guys doing here? You should be getting ready!" She swatted them as they plopped on the hot pink love seat crammed into the corner of the room.

"Are you implying that my makeup is anything but runway-appropriate? In that case, I won't give you your parting gift." Seb faked hurt as Danny grinned evilly.

"Parting gift? You shouldn't have. Actually, you should have. I've worked my ass off for three years to make the two of you look good on stage, and I expect a gift no less than perfection itself bottled and tied up with a ribbon." She tried to keep the mask of sincerity on, but burst into short giggles.

"Rachel, darling, you are perfection. What a boring gift, to receive what you already have. Here. Imperfection. All 25 cents worth of it." He reached out and handed her a small package, appropriately wrapped in pink paper. She tore the paper off to find a pair of pink knee socks, bedazzled with rhinestones to spell the words "Diva-licious" down the sides.

"Danny! Seb! I love it! Thank you so much!"

"Oh no you don't. That was Danny's present, not mine. Mine is much more better."

"Have you been watching Pirates again?"

"I can't help it. I just love Johnny Depp."

"Oh, honey, me too."

"Me three."

"Now that that's settled, here's your gift, Rach." Seb handed her a slightly larger present, wrapped in matching paper. She opened it, revealing a blackberry case that matched her new knee socks, "Diva-licious" and all. "Now you don't have an excuse to not answer us on the first ring when Danny and I call. It clips to you belt, and we tried, so we know that an answer in under three seconds is possible, after practice. But we know the Rachel Berry motto, 'Practice, Practice, Practice' so we don't think that will be a problem."

"Oh, Seb, I love it! I'm going to miss you and Danny! So much! I'm going to hug you both now." And she did just that.

"Babe, any chance of you reconsidering your contract?"

"Guys, you know I wish I could, but I have to go back to Lima. They need me there, and I've lived my dream. It's my turn to give other kids that chance. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for glee."

"We know, and we're proud of you. We're just going to miss you." Seb reached out to hold her hand.

"But we're going to visit you, Babe. Just you wait. Lima hasn't seen the like's of Seb and Danny." Danny struck a pose from where he sat, almost hitting his boyfriend in the head.

"Actually boys, I believe they have."

Danny looked shocked. "Who?"

"Kurt Hummel-Chang, fellow member of New Directions, and the Diva of Northwest Ohio."

"Really? _The_ Diva, in the same town where Rachel Berry grew up? How did someone out-diva Rachel Berry?"

"Well, I of course was the diva while I was there, but from what I understand, he's still there, running a successful boutique and salon with his partner-in-crime, Mercedes Jones."

"Mercedes? Girl or guy?"

"Girl. Definitely a girl. But she's fierce."

"So, who else is still in Lima?"

"From what I understand, everyone from New Directions is still there. We've gone over Kurt and Mercedes. After them, there's Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams. They're still dating. Artie was in a car accident and now is in a wheelchair, but he plays an amazing electric bass. And Tina? Well, she's gothic, and Asian, and totally in love with Artie. She had a stutter, but it turn out she was faking it, but that's a whole other story.

"Next, there's Matt Rutherford, Mike Hummel-Chang, and Brittany and Santana Lopez. Brittany and Santana are married, they went to Canada for a vacation/honeymoon, but both were cheerleaders and glee members. Matt is dating Mercedes, and Mike is life-partners with Kurt. Matt and Mike were both football players and glee members.

"Then there's Finn and Quinn Hudson. Finn was the star quarterback, and Quinn was the head cheerleader, until she got knocked up. But get this, she was the president of the chastity club, and she and Finn had never had sex. She told him it was from when they were making out in a hot tub, and well, you get the picture. But he believed her until I set him straight."

"Wait, Rachel Berry meddled in someone else's life?" Danny faked shock.

"I happened to be in love with Finn at the time. It was a huge drama, and looking back, I'm sorry I was the one who told him, but Quinn forgave me, and Finn forgave her, and I came to my senses about him. It was just a crush. But then she miscarried, and they got married right after graduation. Now Quinn and I are long-distance best friends. She's the Quinn I talk to on the phone for hours every week. And that just leaves Noah Puckerman, or Puck as everyone else called him. He played football too."

"So everyone paired up except for you and Puck?" Rachel began to blush and turned towards the mirror.

"We had a thing for a few weeks, but I dumped him. I couldn't get past his mohawk."

"Wait, mohawk man is Puck?" Danny leapt off the couch to grab a photo taped to the mirror. It showed Rachel and Puck, foreheads together, hands entwined, staring into each other's eyes.

"Give that back. I just happen to like my profile in that picture."

"Honey, you two were hot. You still feel something for him. You wouldn't keep this sexy pic otherwise. Don't lie."

"I miss him, okay? I dated him, but Quinn was having his baby, and I was crushing on Finn, so I ended it. He just wasn't fitting into my plan of Finn and Broadway."

"Hold up, Puck got Quinn preggers?" This time, Danny actually did look shocked.

"Drunken party, one night stand, no condom, huge mistake."

"Okay. But where is Puck now?"

"He's still in Lima. Actually, he took over Coach Tanaka's job as athletic director when Tanaka left after Emma and Will got married."

"Emma and Will?"

"Emma Pillsbury was the OCD guidance counselor and Will Schuester was the Spanish teacher and the New Directions faculty advisor."

"So why did Tanaka leave after they got married."

"Guys, this is another long story, are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Hells to the yes!" Danny fist pumped, almost hitting his boyfriend, yet again.

"Danny, hands down. I don't want a black eye on stage."

"Sorry."

"Okay, so story time. Will, or Mr. Schue as we called him, was married to this psychotic woman, Terri. She thought Will was falling for Ms. Pillsbury, so she faked a pregnancy Then, she found out Quinn was pregnant, so she set it up to adopt Quinn's baby after it was born, so Quinn could still go to school. But Mr. Schue found out Terri wasn't pregnant, and divorced her. They were having major issues before hand. In the mean time, Emma, heartbroken over Will, decided to marry Ken Tanaka, who was in love with her, despite his horrible cleanliness. He got mad that Emma was clearly not over her feelings for Will, and broke it off with her the day of the wedding. Will showed up to show his support, and they ended up falling for each other. Tanaka finished out his contract and left, and Emma and Will got married. The end."

"Seb, I think we need to head to Lima. It seems that's where all the drama is."

"Hey now, you need to give the small towns some credit, there's a lot more drama there than you'd ever think."

"Well, Rach, we're glad you came here., and we'll miss you desperately. But when you go back, you need to reconnect with Puck. He's a hunk, and that photo was practically reeking of chemistry class." Seb stood up, pulling his boyfriend with him as they headed towards the door.

"But wear a condom. That boy sounds fertile." Danny gave her a fleeting kiss on the cheek as they walked out of the door.

"Guys, I'm not having—" but her voice faltered as the call for places came over the loudspeaker.

"Break-a-leg, babe." Danny called from down the hallway.

And with that, Rachel took one last look in the mirror, peeled off her hot pink dressing gown, and walked to the stage, where she took her place for her final show on Broadway. The curtain raised, the lights came up, and Rachel took a deep breath, waiting for her cue, before stepping onto the stage.


	2. Chapter 2

Rachel pulled her hot pink mini-cooper into her house in Lima. Her father's had left it for her in their will, after they passed on in an unfortunate plane crash, and she had never had the heart to sell it. Luckily for her, the mortgage was paid off which would help her make the most of her meager teacher's salary. It looked the same on the outside, but she wasn't expecting the cluster of people sitting on the front lawn. She had of course called Kurt and Mercedes to tell them she was coming back, but she hadn't expected the entirety of New Directions, including Mr. And Mrs. Schue to be there.

She signaled for the moving truck following her to park in the street, and took a deep breath as she opened her car door. A chorus of "Rachel!"s and "You're back!"s graced her ears, and she braced herself for the hugs that would follow.

Quinn, not suprisingly, was first. She gave her a tight squeeze. "I can't wait for us to hang out. I've missed you so much." Another squeeze, and Quinn stepped back to let Finn approach her.

"Hey Rach, I'm glad you're back. You're my co-captain, and I've been missing your butt-kicking around here." Finn gave her a tight hug and let Mr. Schue and Emma step forward.

"Hello Rachel. Good to have you back, and I'm glad it's you taking over. Em and I are excited to tour the world, but it makes me feel better knowing it's you who's going to be taking over. And don't worry, Sue left last year, so you won't have to worry about her." Mr. Schue gave her a quick hug, followed by a hug from Emma.

"I've been preparing myself for this, but I've gotten a lot better about germs ever since I married Will." Emma blushed as she stepped back. Brittany, Santana, Matt, and Mike hugged her quickly, with well wishes, and then Artie rolled forward.

"Hey Rachel, good to see you again." She bent down to give him a hug. Tina stepped up to give her a hug, and then rolled Artie back to allow Mercedes a chance.

"Girl, it's good to see you again!" Mercedes was shoved out of the way by Kurt, who hugged her equally as fiercely.

"What are those hideous socks you are wearing?" Rachel was wearing the socks, forced onto her legs by Danny and Seb before she left New York. Rachel smirked and did a little twirl before pushing Kurt back into the line. Al last, Puck stepped forward, hands in his pockets. Rachel reached out to give him a small hug, but when Puck grabbed her by the waist, he held her tight, burying his face into her neck. He pulled back slightly and whispered into her ear.

"I really missed you, Berry. A lot. Call me later and we'll catch up, okay?" Rachel heard some wolf whistles from behind her that she recognized all too well. She stepped back from Puck but he kept his hold on her waist as the rest of New Directions gathered around them, facing the street.

"It looks like we pulled up just in time to see you and Mohawk Man getting frisky on the lawn!"

"Danny! Seb! What are you doing here?" Her two best friends from New York parked their car and stepped out onto the lawn. Rachel could feel Puck's grip tighten around her and it sent shivers up her spine. She shrugged it off though, as the power-couple stepped up for their turn in the Rachel hug-a-thon.

"I couldn't let you leave just yet, babe! We had some time off between shows and I promised I'd visit my girlfriend in her dramatic little town." Danny planted a wet kiss on her lips, much like the ones they had shared on stage, only a lot more awkward, seeing as the entire Lima crew was gawking at her.

"I just came along for the car snacks. I honestly didn't miss you that much." Seb winced as she slapped him in the shoulder.

"So, who are you?" Kurt stepped forward, hands planted on his hips.

"I'm Danny, and this is Seb. We starred alongside Rachel in Next to Normal on Broadway, but we became great friends offstage as well. We spent over three years together, and then we fell in love, and well, here we are." Seb saw the stormy look on Pucks face and decided to clarify for his boyfriend.

"And by we, he means us. Danny and I have been dating for a little over three years now. Rachel's just our bestest friend. I was her dead brother, and Danny was her stoner boyfriend, onstage though." Seb reached out to grab his lover's hand to pull him away from Rachel. As soon as he did, Puck's face relaxed, and he stepped back up to Rachel's side, much to the delight of everyone there.

"Well, as long as you're all here, grab a box and help me move in! I'll order pizza, I'm starving."


	3. Chapter 3

Puck had absolutely no idea why he was acting like a love struck idiot around Rachel, but as soon as he saw her after all those years, a whole rush of feelings came back to him. He'd always liked her, but she wanted to be a star, and he would have never made it in New York. But now she was back, and taking a job at the school. He'd be able to see her every day, and he hoped they could at least be friends again. He liked Rachel, and he really missed her.

The others missed her as well, and in the years following her sophomore year, apparently everyone in New Directions had gotten to know her better like he had, and everyone began to like her. Puck was glad, because she really was a good person.

"Noah, could you help me with this box?" Rachel was struggling through the front door with a large box. He quickly ran over and took it out of her arms. It wasn't too heavy, but it's size made it awkward to carry.

"Where does this go?"

"Upstairs. I can help you if you want. I feel bad letting you carry it all yourself."

"Berry, look at these guns. I can handle anything. Plus, I'm badass. Badasses don't let smokin' girls carry boxes up stairs."

"Smokin'?" Rachel began to blush.

"You heard me." Puck began to blush as well, but the box hid it from her view. He couldn't believe he called her "smokin'" to her face. It just kind of slipped out. As he walked up the stairs behind her, he was glad the box covered his line of sight, because he could just imagine her tight ass in that short skirt. Once they reached the top, however, he wished the box was a bit lower when she placed her hand on the small of his back to guide him to the room. He tried to adjust himself, but the strain against his jeans was too much, and he couldn't let go of the box. Her thumb twitched, and so did he. Finally, she pushed a wooden door open to reveal her bedroom.

"What are you two doing? Get off my bed you perverted homosexuals!" Puck set the box down and quickly adjusted himself while Rachel was distracted by the two New Yorkers making out on her bed. Danny rolled off of Seb and stood up, pulling his shirt back on, while Seb propped himself up on his elbow.

"Babe, that's offensive. I take offense to that. Now I'm going to have to defile you, despite how you are so not my type." Danny reached over to hug Rachel, but she darted behind Puck, clutching his waist from behind. She buried her face into his back and he felt the situation in his jeans grow a bit more uncomfortable. Despite this, he reached his arms around and grabbed her, pulling her closer to him, protecting her from the Broadway star about to "attack" her.

"Danny, get back here. It's obvious her knight-in-shining-mohawk won't let anyone but him defile her. Don't try to come between their undying romance."

"Sebastian Ross! He is not my knight-in-shining-mohawk! That makes no sense!" Rachel lunged from behind Puck, grabbing the nearest pillow and throwing it at Seb.

"Babe, we saw the photo. There was definitely something going on between the two of you, and that sort of thing doesn't just go away." Danny grabbed the pillow and tossed it back at her when she ducked back into Puck's arms.

"Get out of my room, you idiots! And don't you dare defile my couch, bathroom, kitchen table, or God forbid, my piano!"

"Come on Danny, she said nothing about the laundry room."

"Don't you dare!" She screeched from over Puck's shoulder at the pair of boys disappearing down the hallway. After they had gone, she noticed where, or more specifically with whom, she was standing. It was obvious by the way her body stiffened, and she began to back up. Puck held her close, willing her not to leave just yet.

"Photo? What photo were they talking about, Rach?" Puck tilted her chin up to look into her eyes.

"Oh, nothing. I just had some photos from high school on my mirror, and there was one of us from when we were dating. They saw it, and haven't stopped talking about 'my Mohawk Man' ever since." She averted her eyes from his intense gaze, but he brought her chin back up.

"Which one?" Puck had a sneaking suspicion that it looked like the pose there were in at the very moment, but he wanted to hear it from her.

"It's the one from when Glee went on that picnic. When we first officially started dating after sectionals."

"I know the one. I still have that one too."

"Wait, Noah Puckerman, Badass Puck, kept a photo of him and a girl? This I have to see. Where is it?"

"Hey, I'm not some lunatic man whore. I happen to like you, a lot, and I also consider you a great friend of mine. It also happens to be my favorite picture of us, and so I kept it. But if you want to see it, you'll have to come over some time. We'll hang out, catch up, and maybe even sing. Or at least you sing, I play." Puck tightened his grip on her waist, eyes twinkling as he smirked.

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"I believe I am."

"Why?"

"Rachel Berry, I like you. I have always liked you, and I will continue to like you. I was sad when you moved away, and happy now that you're back. You're something else, and I really want you to be a part of my life again. So yes, will you go on a date with me, this Friday night? I'll give you a tour of the not-so-new and not-so-much-improved Lima. We'll have some mediocre dinner, and then I'll make you dessert, and you will sing me songs, and tell me delightful tales of the Big Apple, and I will just sit there and sulk like my badass self until you make me smile." She just glanced up at him, trying not to laugh, but when he began to chuckle, a whole mess of giggles spilled out. When they finally stopped, she had her face buried in his neck and his head was buried in her hair. She pulled back, looking him in the eyes, and at that moment, he knew he had to kiss her. He had been waiting three years for another chance, and he wasn't going to waste another second. He licked his lips and began to duck his head when the door slammed open, revealing Quinn Hudson and Kurt Hummel-Chang. Rachel and Puck quickly jumped apart.

"You know, jumping apart is the worst way to try and throw off suspicion. Now we all know you were totally up to something." Kurt leaned against the doorframe and grinned. Quinn began to jump up and down, squealing incessantly.

"I knew it! I knew it! You two are perfect for each other! I can't believe you're back together again! You guys are the cutest couple!"

"Quinn calm down, Puck and I are just hanging out later this week. We're not officially anything. And Kurt, it's hard to not react when the door is slammed open." Rachel had her hands on her hips, looking like the pissed-off diva he remembered fondly.

"Ruining a perfectly good moment, by the way." Puck pulled Rachel back to his side, not caring what the others thought. He just knew he wanted to be close to her again. As Rachel leaned her head on his shoulder, Quinn started jumping again, and Kurt couldn't help but jump as well.

"Did Noah Puckerman just admit to having a moment?"

"God, you guys, I'm not a total Lima Loser. I do have feelings, they just happen to be badass feelings. And it was a badass moment. Therefore, I am still, completely and totally badass." With that, Kurt and Quinn ran down the stairs, telling everyone what they had just seen and heard. Puck turned to Rachel again.

"Look, Berry, I'm not asking you to decide right now or anything, but I do like you, and I do want to be more than just friends. I know you just got back, and it's too soon for anything official, but can I hug you, and hold your hand in public, and shit like that? Without having to announce it to you. And you can do the same to me. I know you always let everyone know before they hug you, but I just want you to know you don't have to with me. It's just that everyone's already decided we have a thing, and I don't want to make a huge deal about it, but I really like you, and I'd like to show you. Fuck, look at me, I'm rambling on and on like a chick. Or like you, Berry. Shit, I sound like Rachel fuckin' Berry right now! Not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean, it sounds cute when you do it. Fuck, I think I'm growing a vagina right now. And fuck, I keep saying "fuck." I know how much you hate it, but I keep cussing like a fuckin' sailor. I'm sorry, I'm just, I don't—"

Rachel shut him up by pressing her lips to his. It was quick, but effective. Puck smirked as he blushed like a "chick."

"Berry, I'm supposed to be the one to instigate the first kiss. I'm the dude."

"Noah, you were acting like the 'chick,' you even said so yourself, so I though I'd man up and kiss you myself. I did quite a job, don't you think?"

"I'd have done it better, like this." And Puck leaned down to press his lips to hers. His hand came up to cup her cheek as his other pressed against the small of her back, holding her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck before he pulled away. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room. "Where are we going? I was happy right where we were."

"Noah, so was I, but what do you think Kurt and Quinn came upstairs for? I smell pizza and I'll be damned if it all gets eaten while we're up here making out."

"One, did Rachel Berry just say 'damned?' And two, why can't we make out? I'd rather do that than eat some fuckin' pizza."

"One, I'm not a child anymore, I lived in NYC for the past three years, and I can cuss with the best of them. And two, we're getting some of that pizza. But in response to your previous question, you can hold my hand and hug me in public and shit like that. In fact, I'd rather enjoy it. Now I'm starving. Let's eat."

And with that, Puck and Rachel went downstairs, hand in hand, and sat on the hot pink love seat from her dressing room together, without answering a single questioning gaze tossed their way.


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. As she made her way down the hallway to her room, she was intercepted by the two New Yorkers.

"Boys, excuse me, I need to get ready for my date."

"Exactly, babe. You need our help. Your knee socks and schoolgirl skirts are charming in their own way. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but they are so not date material. Luckily, Seb and I have brought with us the entirety of the thrift store down the street from the theatre in our humble station wagon. It's our gift to Lima. Hot Date Rachel is going to storm the town." Danny opened the door to her room.

"We've taken the liberty of moving it all into your closet while you were in the shower, and we've picked out a few choices for tonight." Seb grabbed her shoulders and steered her towards the bed where she sat down.

"We've also gotten you some date night undergarments that are, appropriate for the evening. And by appropriate, I mean downright scandalous." Danny tossed her some lacy maroon pieces of cloth with matching strings. "Put them on, babe." They turned around while Rachel complied. As she struggled with the corset top, Seb turned around to assist her. Danny grabbed a slinky black dress off a hander, which Rachel shuddered at.

"That looks _so_ not like me."

"Exactly, babe, this is Hot Date Rachel, not Schoolgirl Broadway Diva Rachel. We want Mohawk Man to drop to his knees."

"But a black, slinky dress? What about that yellow one?"

"Brilliant! He'll love the sexy, fun, cuteness, and then when he takes it off, he'll fall to his knees to worship the goddess before him."

"Goddess? And who say's it's coming off tonight?"

"Put it on, love." Seb grabbed the dress from the hanger and tossed it at her. The one shoulder, greek inspired dress went nicely with her caramel skin. Seb came up behind her, and in a few moments, had her wavy hair into a twist around her head, leaving some hair hanging in the back.

"You look absolutely stunning, Rach."

"You do, babe. Now go get your man."


	5. Chapter 5

When Puck approached her front door, he wasn't sure what to expect. He knocked quickly, and waited for her to appear. Instead, Danny opened the door, with Seb, as always, never far behind.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Mohawk himself. What are you doing here?"

"He's kidding. We know why you're here. Rach hasn't stopped talking about 'her Puck.'"

"I have not said that once!" Rachel called from upstairs. "I'll be right down, Noah."

"So, what exactly are your intentions with our Rachel?" Danny put his hands on his hips and tried to look like the menacing father-figure. Instead, he ended up looking a bit constipated. It took Puck his all not to burst into hysterics. Seb grabbed his lover and led him to the couch, motioning for Puck to follow.

"Danny, Puck is old enough to know that if he hurts Rachel, in any way, that he will not only have to deal with the wrath of Rachel, but the wrath of two New York gays. And that is not something he wants to deal with. Does he?" The last question was directed towards Puck.

"I would never hurt Rachel intentionally, and I don't think I would ever hurt her unintentionally either. I've lost her once, I don't want that to happen again." Puck tried his hardest to convey the sincerity he felt, but it was not something he was used to, and he was pretty sure he looked like he was about to cry.

Rachel chose that moment to appear at the top of the stairs. "I hope you boys didn't give Noah the third degree."

"Babe, it's nothing that anyone who cared about you wouldn't do." Danny smiled at her.

"And it's nothing that anyone who cared about you wouldn't mind being given. You look beautiful, Berry." Puck stood up and crossed the room, giving her a warm hug. He released all but her hand, keeping their fingers entwined. He turned to the boys. "I'll have her home by eleven Mr. Ross and Mr. Dowde."

"Mohawk, we're not stiffs. Have her home by noon tomorrow and we won't be worried. And Rachel, darling, I expect explicit details about everything, especially his reaction to your unmentionables. Just don't forget my advice from the dressing room. This boy is fer—" Danny was cut off by Rachel's loud voice before he could embarrass her any more.

"Boys, we're leaving. Goodnight." Rachel hurried Puck out the door, dragging him by the hand to the car.

"Rach, it's okay. They were just teasing. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"I just don't want you to think I'm expecting anything specific tonight." Puck grabbed her by the waist and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Rachel, baby, I'm not expecting you to do anything tonight. I'm hoping for some lip to lip contact, seeing as we're a couple of good looking Jews and it's only natural, but I'm not expecting anything. Now I know I'm supposed to do this at the end of the night, but I can't wait." And with that, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers in what quickly turned into a passionate kiss. Puck tried to ignore the cat calls and wolf whistles coming from the doorway, but he could feel Rachel tensing up. He slowly raised his middle finger blindly to the door, effectively shutting up and finally giving the couple the privacy they so desperately wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

"Thank you for dinner, Noah. It was great."

"Anytime, babe. But the night's not over yet. Dessert at my house. I made it special."

"Noah Puckerman can cook?"

"Don't look so surprised. I'm an adult now. I have my own house, a fuckin' two story house, might I add. I do my own laundry, I cook, I even clean. Kind of."

"How do you kind of clean. Am I going to walk into some germ infested biohazard tank? Do I need a hazmat suit?"

"Hey my house isn't a mess. My mom cleans very nicely. Once a week. It's her way of keeping me in her life. Plus, that woman just suckin' loves to clean."

"So your mom cleaning is you kind of cleaning?"

"No, I use a coaster. That counts, right? But you should be proud of me doing my laundry. And cooking. Let's focus on that."

"Ah, yes. The dessert. What did you make?"

"It's a surprise." They both fell silent as they strolled down the street to where Puck had parked. Rachel felt slightly giddy when she felt Noah's thumb stroking her wrist from where their hands were joined between them. Ever since their professed "friendship/rekindling of love" Rachel wanted to spend every minute with him, and at that moment she really just wanted to kiss him again. When they got to his jeep, he opened her door and helped her up, his hands lingering a bit on her waist. When he got in to drive, Rachel looked at his hand resting on the gearshift and she decided to go for it. In a single moment, she reached across and laced her fingers through his.

He barely glanced at her, but she saw the smile in his eyes at her action. Without a word, he released her hand and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her across the bench seat so she was sitting right nest to him. Her right hand came up to lace her fingers in his on her shoulder, and her left hand was slowly tracing patterns on his jean-clad leg. She rested her head on his strong shoulder and he quickly pressed a kiss to her temple.

When they reached his house, Rachel was reluctant to leave his embrace, but he hopped out of the vehicle and reached up to help her out of the driver's side door. He held her in a brief hug before grabbing her hand and leading her to the front door. When they got inside, he sat her down on the couch and told her to close her eyes. She heard him rummage through the some drawers and then a sharp click. When she was allowed, she opened her eyes to Noah standing with a chocolate frosted birthday cake, complete with pink candles.

"Noah, what is this?"

"I figured since I missed your birthday, and the only thing I'm really good at making is birthday cakes, we could have a little mini birthday party here. So happy birthday, Rach."

"Noah, I can't— This is— Thank you. This is perfect." She watched with amazement as he sat the cake down and cut a slice for her. He sat down next to her.

"There's a tradition with birthday cake in my family."

"What is it?"

"You can't touch the fork on your first bite, or you sit under the table for the rest of the cake eating. And no touching means not with you hands, lips, teeth, anything."

"So you feed me a bite of cake, and if my lips or teeth touch it, I sit under the table? Which table? The coffee table? We're at a couch, and that table is about a foot off the ground."

"Then we'll have to think of something else. How about a kiss. If you touch the fork, you have to give me a kiss."

"Okay. That works."

"After every bite of cake. You give me a kiss after every bite of cake."

"Okay. Let me have a bite, and we'll see how good I am at not touching the fork." Puck held out a piece of the pink strawberry cake with the chocolate frosting and held it out to her. Rachel quickly bit down on the fork and wrapped her lips around it, dragging the cake off the fork, slowly, making sure to touch every inch of it as she did. Puck smirked and set the fork down on the table, leaning towards Rachel expectantly. She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips. She picked up the fork and took another bite of the cake. Another peck. This continued until she got to the last bite of the cake. She picked it up with her fingers and ate it. Then, instead of giving him the last kiss she promised, and dipped her finger into the frosting on the rest of the cake.

She held out her finger to him and he sucked the frosting off of it, but she made sure a little was left on his lips. She leaned forward and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, effectively removing the last bit of frosting. His hands went to her hips and he pulled her so she was situated on his lap. They began to kiss with fervor. When they finally broke away, he moved his lips to her neck and she turned to straddle him. He sucked on the skin over her collar bone and it made her shiver and moan. She moved her hands to the buttons on his shirt and she slowly began to undo them. He pulled back slightly to look at her.

"Rach, baby, we can't do this tonight." She ignored him and continued to kiss him, but he gently pushed her away once again.

"Rachel, honey. Please, if we don't stop now, I won't be able to control myself."

"So don't."

"Babe, I want it to be special. I don't want you to think this is just for the sex. Okay? Please, lets just go back to making out."

"Seriously, Noah? If you don't want to have sex with me, just say it. Don't lead me on like this." She quickly pushed herself off of him and sat at the other end of the couch.

"Rachel, listen to me. I want you. Look at me. You can see that I want you. I'm not trying to hide it. It's just, I want it to be special. I've been saving myself, and I know you were before you went to New York, so you know what I'm talking about. And I want to be with you, just not right now."

"So you want me to wait on the sidelines while you go bang a bunch of other chicks so that we can be 'special?' I don't work that way Noah Puckerman. You should know that by now." Puck reached out to grab her hands and pull her close again. She resisted at first, but finally relented. He pushed away a piece of hair that had fallen in her eyes. Then he leaned his forehead against hers. She tried to remain angry, but the pain she saw in his eyes made her reconsider her emotions.

"Baby, I don't want to be with anyone but you. I want you, and only you. But I want us to wait."

"Noah, I came here tonight, ready and willing to give you my virginity. It's not like we're in the back of your jeep or anything. Tonight has been the perfect night. Why can't tonight be special."

"You're really going to make me say it?"

"Say what?"

"I'm a virgin, Rach. And as geeky and old fashioned as it sounds, I want my first time to be on my wedding night. Growing up, I learned that the best gift you could ever give was to your wife on your wedding night. It would say to her that she was so special, and that the night meant so much to you that you waited, just for her, and just for that night. Fuck, Berry, why do I always turn into a chick around you?"

"What the hell, Noah? Despite that being one of the sweetest, most thoughtful, and romantic things I've ever heard, it's also the biggest pile of bullshit I've heard in a long time. You got Quinn pregnant, remember?" Rachel pulled her head away, the anger returning. Puck tightened his grip on her hands, the pain still evident.

"I remember. I also remember that while I was the father of that child, I never had sex with Quinn."

"And how does that work?"

"Quinn was messed up at the time. She was dating Finn, but things were rough between them, and the pressure from her parents to have a healthy relationship and to remain celibate were driving her to rebellion. And to top it off, Coach Sylvester told her that the only way she could be head cheerleader was if she was dating the quarterback. She figured that getting pregnant by Finn was the only way to keep him, piss off her parents, and keep her title on the squad. But she wasn't sleeping with Finn. In fact, she was still a virgin too. She tried to get me to sleep with her, but I wouldn't, partially because Finn was my friend, and partially because I didn't want my first time to be some random hookup. Long story short, she got me wasted. Well, I shouldn't blame her completely, she wasn't forcing the drinks down my throat or anything, but I got wasted and she took me up to a bedroom."

Puck broke off and Rachel, seeing the heartbreak on his face gave him a hug, holding his head to her shoulder.

"Did she rape you, Noah?"

"No! Not exactly. I mean we were both drunk, and I wish it hadn't happened, but I wasn't saying 'no' at the time, but she gave me a handjob, and halfway through, I passed out. After that, I can only imagine what she did with me, but I guess she figured I wouldn't care. I mean, you know what my reputation was. People talked, and I let them talk. But when I woke up the next morning, and remembered what had happened, I was really depressed. But Quinn, to this day, swears that we didn't have sex, and I believe her because I want it to be true. And so I still consider myself to be a virgin. But then when I found out Quinn was pregnant, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of my child's life, and I guess you know what happened next."

"Oh, Noah. I'm so sorry. I jumped to conclusions. I never thought about alternate possibilities. We did learn in health that there doesn't have to be penetration for there to be a pregnancy, but it's very rare so I didn't even think about it. But I trust Quinn, and I trust you too. And I get it now. And I will wait. I want to wait, too. It is a gift, and it's something I'll never take for granted again."

Puck pulled her in for a heated kiss.

"Rachel, thank you. Thank you for being there, for listening to me, for bearing through the story, and for not running away. And for understanding. You're the first person I've ever told this to, and it's something I'll always be grateful for. Even if I do sound like a total chick."

Rachel leaned in to kiss him again. They kissed for a few more minutes before Puck pulled away.

"Rachel, baby, we really need to stop or I won't be able to."

"Do we have to?" Rachel smiled as she ran her hands through his mohawk.

"What do you say to a sleepover?"

"Wait, I thought— "

"Rachel Berry, you have such a dirty mind! When was the last time you fucked at a sleepover?"

"I haven't had a sleepover with any straight guys. I always imagined that sleeping here would result in sex."

"You imagined sleeping over here?"

"No! That's not what I meant!"

"Whatever, Berry. I know you want my bod."

"With that kind of talk, it's hard to think of you as a virgin."

"Regardless, I am, and you are too, and now I'm asking you to have a sleepover with me. A sleepover, not a sexover. What do you say? Popcorn, movie, staying up late swapping manly stories, and in the morning, I'm making waffles!"

"Shrek? Really?"

"Hey, it's a classic."

"Can we cuddle?"

"Cuddle, really? Do you _want_ me to grow a vagina?"

"I'd think not. I don't want to cuddle with a girl. I don't bat for that team."

"Well, I guess I could handle that. But only if we watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre, so I can say that we cuddled because you were scared."

"Okay, Danny and Seb are already expecting me to come home tomorrow, and God knows they're probably over there right now defiling my bed. You go get the movie set up, and I'll make some popcorn. But I'm warning you, I might scream. I get really scared."

"Rachel Berry, screaming in my bed. What is the world coming to?"

Rachel pushed Puck towards the hallway leading to his bedroom. Once she put the popcorn into the microwave, after quite the exploration to find it, she began to peruse the bookshelf in the adjoining room. Her fingers ghosted over the spines before settling on a familiar cover.

It was the book The Things They Carried by O'Brien, which she had loaned to Puck their senior year. It was one of her favorites, and she had been encouraging him to read more, so she loaned him the war novel. Pulling it out of the shelf, it became obvious by the dog-eared pages that it had been read by him many times. She let it fall open in her hands. Amidst the underlined passages and highlighted quotations, an old picture fell out. It was the same picture that Rachel had hanging up in the mirror in her dressing room. Flipping it over in her hands, she saw her familiar cursive writing. The words "Noah, you will always be in my eyes" were written in pink ink on the bottom right hand corner of the photo.

She remembered giving it to him. It was a week before they had broken it off. She remembered how when she had given it to him, he had laughed.

"_Rach, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be heart, or at least mind. 'Eyes' doesn't really make sense."_

"_It does so! It makes perfect sense. Stop being so simple minded! Expand your mental horizons!"_

"_For the sake of time, and not having my brain explode, please enlighten me."_

"_Minds, they forget things, they go senile, they're unreliable with age. And hearts, hearts break, they stop, people have heart attacks; a million things can go wrong with a heart. But your eyes, you can't unsee something. Even if you go blind, you still saw it, and so with that, Noah, with that you will always be in my eyes."_

Rachel broke out of her reverie hearing Puck call for her. She quickly replaced the book and the photograph before grabbing the popcorn and a bowl. Then she climbed into his bed and his arms. Looking at the DVD menu, she quickly shuddered and ducked her head into his chest.

"What happened to Texas Chainsaw Massacre?"

"Hannibal Rising is much better, plus, it's less gruesome."

"How can a story about a cannibal be less gruesome?"

"It's not Hannibal Lecter, it's Hannibal Rising. He's a kid in this one, so he doesn't kill as much, and it only shows him actually eating someone at the very end. Minimal blood, a few scary jump scenes, but for the most part, it's a good cuddle and popcorn movie. Now I want some popcorn, woman."

"Woman? I'm also a popcorn hog, and just for that, none for you." He smirked and pecked her lips while he snuck a handful of popcorn out of the bowl. They snuggled together to watch the movie, and Rachel felt her eyes start to drift shut with sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"Rachel, baby, wake up, the movie's over. You'll freeze if you stay on top of the covers, trust me."

"Did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, and right when it was getting good." Puck watched as she blinked slowly. He had gotten out of the bed and was standing over her, running his fingers through her hair. When she sat up, he handed her some sweats and an old t-shirt. "You can wear these to bed. They might be a little big, but they're just for sleeping in. I'll turn around so you can change."

Puck turned around and pulled his shirt and pants off before pulling on a pair of sweats. He waited patiently until Rachel gave him the okay to turn around. He heard her small voice and he could easily recognize that she was embarrassed.

"Um, Noah? I need some help getting this top off. I'd sleep in it, but it's way too uncomfortable." Puck turned around to see her standing in a pair of sweats and a maroon corset. It was pushing the curves of her breasts up, and he could see hints of her skin through the laces. His jaw dropped and she moved to cover herself up with the shirt. "Please, Noah? It laces up the back and I can't reach it. Seb had to help me get it on. They were obviously anticipating a slightly different outcome tonight."

Puck slowly crossed over to her and pressed a kiss to her neck. She dropped the shirt and a small moan escaped her lips. Puck felt himself harden even more than he had been the entire night, if that was possible.

"Rachel, you are making it really hard for me to wait."

"I'm sorry, like I said, I'd sleep in it if it wouldn't suffocate me during the night." Puck quickly unlaced the back of it and pulled it over her head. He allowed his fingers to lightly graze against the smooth expanse of her back before he crossed to the other side of the room, pulling back the covers and trying to distract himself. She put the shirt on and crossed to the bed to help him turn down the covers.

When they climbed into bed, Puck noticed that Rachel kept her distance from him, and he figured she was trying to make it easier for him. Instead, he just wanted to hold her in his arms, so he pulled her towards him until they were spooning, his chest to her back, his arms wrapped around her waist. He pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Night, baby."

"Goodnight, Noah."

"I'm really glad you're here, Rach. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Noah, but remember, you'll always be in my eyes."


	8. Chapter 8

Rachel woke up in the middle of the night with the feeling that someone was watching her. As she sat up, she felt Noah's arms tighten around her, but movement from the window caught Rachel's eye.

"Noah! Noah, wake up!"

"Mmmm, go back to sleep, babe, 's the middle of the night."

"Noah, I think there's someone outside." This caught his attention and he quickly sat up.

"How do you know? What did you see?"

"I felt like I was being watched, and then something was moving outside that window. Noah, I'm scared."

"Stay here, babe. I'm going outside to check." Puck grabbed a baseball bat and his cell phone and went to the doorway. Rachel grabbed the pair of cleats that were sitting next to the bat and followed him. She had seen the scary movies, and she knew that she was more vulnerable if she was alone. Puck opened the back door and slowly made his way to the window of his room. There was no one there, but when he looked down at the ground, in the light of the phone, he could see a clear set of footprints in the soft ground under the window. He quickly grabbed Rachel and pulled her back inside, locking all the doors and windows on the way back to his room. He grabbed a sheet off the bed and tacked it up to the window, blocking it from the outside world.

"Are you okay, baby?"

"Yeah. I'm just a bit shaken. Who would do that though?"

"It was probably some high school punk who got dared to spy on his teacher. Regardless, I'm buying some curtains in the morning. Let's go back to bed. We should be safe now."

"Aren't you going to call the police?"

"Nah, whoever it was is gone now, and this stuff happens all the time to teachers. It was probably just a prank."

Rachel crawled back into bed with Puck and gently rubbed circles on her stomach to soothe her. After a few moments, she began to fall asleep again. The last thing she remembered was Puck's barely audible whisper, "My Rachel."

When Rachel woke up in the morning, she was wrapped in Puck's arms, her head tucked into his neck with his chin resting on top of her head. She pressed a quick kiss to his neck before slipping from his grasp. Once she was out of the bed, he rolled over mumbling her name. Smiling, she slipped out of his room and walked to the kitchen. She wrote Puck a quick note that she was running home to change before Danny and Seb got up. She grabbed his favorite hoodie from the chair by the door and slipped out of the front house, leaving only the note and a brewing pot of coffee in her wake.

When she walked outside, it was only six-thirty in the morning, but it was already light out. She turned the corner to her house, thankful that both her house and Puck's house were on the same block. She was about thirty feet from her front door when a black lincoln pulled up next to her. It happened so quickly. The last thing she remembered was looking into her window while a sweet smelling cloth was pressed to her face. She saw Seb's face; it looked panicked, and then he disappeared. After that, Rachel fell into darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

Seb woke up unusually early for such a _busy_ night. He chalked it up to the different time zone and went to grab a cup of coffee. He sat down in a chair by the window to look out at the town of Lima, Ohio. It was so different from the Big Apple. No one was outside. It looked deserted, and he actually saw grass and flower beds, and nothing over two stories. He had finished his coffee when he saw Rachel turn the corner, in a very different outfit from what they had left her in the night before. He smiled and waved, but before she saw him, a black lincoln pulled up beside her. A nerdy guy jumped out behind her and pressed a rag to her face. Seb ran to the front door and got outside just in time to see the vehicle turn the corner, disappearing at an alarming rate. Rachel was no where to be found.

Seb flipped. He began to shout and scream as loud as his Broadway lungs could handle. The front door of Rachel's house opened and Danny came running out, grabbing Seb into a big hug.

"Seb, baby, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Rachel's gone! She's been kidnapped!"

"What?"

At this point, several other people had joined them outside, including Finn and Quinn whose house was right across the street from Rachel's.

"Rachel's been kidnapped. All I saw was some nerdy white guy with a 'fro and coke bottle glasses chloroform her and drive away. By the time I got out here, they were gone."

"Why is everyone standing here? Someone call the cops! Have them set up road blocks, or pull the traffic cam pictures!" Danny began to freak out. Seb knew how he was feeling, though, and he himself was about two minutes from going ballistic.

Quinn stepped forward. "Danny, this is Lima. Our closest police force is the next town over. We don't have traffic cams, and there's no major road for a road block. We'll call but the only thing we can really do is wait for some news and try to figure out who took him. Seb, you got a good look at the perp, right?"

"Perp, really? Quinn, you watch too many cop shows." Finn tried to lighten the mood, but no one was having it.

"Yeah, I saw him. He looked familiar, but I don't know how. I only know New Yorkers, really, except for you guys." Seb spoke calmly, despite the turmoil he was feeling. They all sat down, lamenting the recent loss and contemplating how to get their friend back. A half an hour passed when Seb stood up. All of the sudden, something had hit him. "Where's Mohawk? Somebody needs to go and get Mohawk."

Finn agreed to go get him, because he knew how Puck would react, and he was the only one man enough to take a couple hits. Before he left, Quinn called the rest of the glee club who rushed right over. They knew Puck would need the ever present support the club had provided. The other neighbors went to their respective homes to call their friends, hoping someone knew where a black lincoln was headed.


	10. Chapter 10

Puck woke up holding a pillow instead of Rachel, but he knew that the prior night had not been a dream. For one, the bed sheet was still hanging on the window. Secondly, the pillow he was clutching was covered in her scent. It smelled sweet, like milk, almonds, and honey. He called out for her, but no one answered. He got up and walked down the hall to the kitchen. He saw a note on the counter and picked it up to read it.

_Noah-_

_I've gone home to change before Danny and Seb get up. I'd rather spend the day with you than spend it in my very own personal inquisition. Hopefully, I'll be back before you get up, but if I'm not, I'll see you soon. I made some coffee. It should be close to done brewing by the time I get back_

_Love,_

_Rachel_

_P.S. I found the book I loaned you a few years ago last night. I loved the picture, seeing as it was the one I kept as well. I'll be wanting that book back sometime soon though, I missed it. Maybe even more than you. Kidding, I got a new copy of the book ages ago. Great, now I'm babbling and you'll probably wake up before I even leave. Okay, I'm really going now, but seeing as this post script note was longer than the original note in and of itself, I feel it deserves its own signature, so here goes._

_Love,_

_Rachel_

He smiled at Rachel's ability to ramble even in written word. He checked the coffee pot but was surprised to see that it was not only done brewing, but it had been finished for quite some time. The normal residue coffee drip on the lid of the pot had completely dried as it normally did after sitting for a bit. He decided to walk over to Rachel's house to see if she had gotten captured by the New York gang. When he went to grab his hoodie, he noticed that she must have taken it. That made him smile even more.

Puck didn't bother locking the door behind him, seeing as it was Lima and not New York. As he approached Rachel's house, he was surprised to see the glee club, Danny, and Seb in her front lawn. Finn began to walk towards him, but by that time, Puck could see everyone was crying. He looked, but the one person he was looking for wasn't in the crowd. He began to feel nauseous.

"Finn, man, what's going on? Where's Rach? Is she okay?"

"Puck, dude, I'm gonna tell you something, but you need to keep calm, okay? I was just on my way over to tell you, but you beat me here. And before you flip, the only reason everyone is already here is because we knew you'd need them once you found out."

"Found out what? Finn, you're freaking me out here. Where the fuck is Berry, and why the hell is everyone crying?"

"Rachel's been kidnapped." Finn braced himself.

"What the fuck? That's not funny. Seriously, where is she?"

"It's true. Seb saw it. She was on her way over here and some nerd grabbed her off the street. We called the cops and they should be here soon."

"Fuck you." Puck spoke quietly.

"Puck, it's going to be okay. We'll get her back."

"Fuck you! Stop fucking lying! Where the fuck it she? Finn Fucking Hudson you'd better fucking tell me the truth right now! Fuck you! This isn't something to joke about! Fuck!" Puck began to pound Finn, aggressively expressing his anger and fear. Finn did his best to hold him off while the rest of the glee club shouted to him to stop and that Finn was telling the truth. Puck finally collapsed into Finn's shoulder, sobbing. At that point, everyone gathered around him, holding him in a large group hug. When Puck stopped crying, they all sat down on the curb. Puck brought his knees up to his chest, rocking like a toddler. Quinn rubbed her hand across his back, trying her best to calm him, but it wasn't working. His Rachel was missing and there was nothing he could do.


	11. Chapter 11

As Quinn walked into Rachel's bedroom, she was immediately assaulted with pink, and the familiarity of her friend's taste made her heart wrench. She had noticed Puck was shivering, which wasn't surprising with him wearing no shirt and it being early morning in the midwest. But Quinn also suspected that it was partially from him not being able to hold Rachel in his arms. She was missing, and no one knew where she was.

Quinn glanced around the bedroom before her eyes settled on a well-worn fleece blanket. She grabbed it, and for good measure, she sprayed it with Rachel's perfume, knowing the familiar warm milk and honey scent would help to soothe him. As she turned to leave, she spotted the picture from Rachel's dressing room. Quinn saw their love and immediately felt more pain from the situation.

Quinn had a soft spot for Puck and Rachel. Puck was the father of her child, and even though she had tricked him into having it, in an act of desperation resulting from extreme emotional and psychological distress. After Quinn pulled herself together having left her home and the Cheerios, she and Puck grew closer. Puck was like her big brother, and it hurt her to see him in such distress.

And Rachel, well, Rachel's confession to Finn about the baby's father had eventually led to complete stability for Quinn. While Quinn and Rachel hadn't gotten along so well in the past, after the baby died, Rachel was there for Quinn, despite their shortcomings, and Quinn would always love her for that. They became inseparable, and when Rachel moved to New York, she and Quinn talked weekly. Rachel and Puck were perfect for each other, but at their first chance for happiness, they had been ripped apart in an unbearably frightening situation.

Quinn returned to the curb where Puck and the others were sitting. The police had arrived and were questioning the glee club one by one. Quinn gently laid the blanket across Puck's shoulders and he clutched at it in silent gratitude, burying his face into the fabric. His shoulders broke with silent sobs. Quinn sat down next to him, waiting for her turn to speak to the police.


	12. Chapter 12

Puck felt the cold of the cement seeping into his body, but it only reinforced the numbness he felt. It was his fault Rachel was gone. He should have listened to her and called the police the night before. If he'd have listened to her, she wouldn't be gone.

Puck heard Mercedes' voice through a fog, asking if the police would keep them all informed on the progress of the case. As Puck heard the detective explain protocol and that only spouses and immediate family could be informed, he knew what he had to do. Rachel's family was all gone, and they were the only ones who would be there for her. He slowly stood and spoke softly.

"I'm her fiance." The group's protests at the police officer's words ended as they heard Puck speak. "We're getting married."

"And you're sure she's got no other family?"

"Both of her dads were only children, and they passed away a few years after her last grandparent died."

"Well, technically, if there is no immediate family, and you were intended to become a spouse, you would fall under the category of the primary family member. I'll need your contact information before we leave."

"Are."

"Excuse me?"

"You said 'you were intended to become a spouse' but she's not dead. 'You are intended to become a spouse.' We're still engaged. We're still getting married."

"Oh, yes, well pardon the mistake. We'll do our best to get her back to you, safe and sound for the wedding. If you'd be willing, I'd like to ask you a few questions now." Puck slowly walked over to where the officer stood by the squad car.

"Do you know of any enemies Ms. Berry might have had?"

"No. Rachel didn't really hang out with anyone outside of this group. She didn't have much time for socializing in New York with the whole Broadway thing. No one hated her enough to do something like this."

"Has anything strange happened lately?"

"Yes. Last night we were sleeping and when she woke up, someone was staring in the window. I went outside with me bat, but no one was there. I figured it was just a prank, you know, small town high school teacher with bored, small town students. We just hung a bed sheet up over the window and went back to bed. It's my fault. She wanted to call the police, but I convinced her it was nothing."

"Son, it's not your fault. Whoever did this is to blame. Neither of you had any idea this would happen. And frankly, even if you had called us, the earliest we would have gotten here for a peeping tom would be about now. If you could give me your address, though, we'll go see if there are any fingerprints and/or footprints. They could help us. We'll do our best to get her back, son."

A few hours later, Puck followed the group back to his house where they had decided they would wait. Rachel's house was too painful for Puck, and the police were long gone, so his house was safe to walk around without messing up anything. It grew dark, but no one left. Instead, they took turns waiting with Puck, who wasn't able to sleep. It was about four in the morning when his phone rang. It was Rachel's number. Finn pulled out his phone to call the detective. Puck motioned for the rest of them to remain quiet as he put the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Noah!"


	13. Chapter 13

Rachel woke up in the dark with a splitting headache. She tried to sit up, but the space was too small. With some deductive reasoning, she figured that she was in the trunk of a large car. The events of the morning came back to her and she realized that she had been kidnapped. She tried to knock out the tail lights but they had been boarded shut. The trunk was empty, so there was nothing for her to use. Her phone must have dropped or been taken from her so she couldn't call Puck. She was too tired to scream, and she decided to save her voice for when it would actually have a chance at being heard. Instead, she just curled up into Puck's hoodie, comforted by his scent of apples and soap.

What felt like several hours later, she felt the car stop. A few moments later, she was blinded by a bright light. When her eyes adjusted, she was surprised to see Jacob Ben-Israel staring down on her with a sadistic grin on his face. He led her to a giant bed as she fought and kicked, but despite his appearance, he was very strong. He grabbed a few ropes and tied her spread-eagled to the bed post.

"Don't bother screaming. There's no one around for miles. I need you to do me a favor, however. No, not that. That's for later. We'll wait a few days for you to warm up to me. I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you. No, I need you to call that scum bag, Puckerman. You two seemed cozy last night, and I don't want him calling the cops on us, darling. Just tell him you've moved on, and that you won't be coming back to Lima anytime soon." Jacob grabbed a gun from somewhere under the bed and held it to her head. Rachel remained silent, tears rolling down her face in fear and hatred. "And don't you dare say my name, or anything about being kidnapped. Here's you phone. It's on speaker."

Rachel listened as it began to ring. When Puck answered, it took all of Rachel's will to not sob and scream for help. She gathered her courage and began to speak.

"Oh, Noah!" Jacob pistol-whipped her head and she let out a small whimper.

"Too sentimental. You're leaving him, not lusting for him." Jacob harshly whispered in her ear, covering the mouthpiece of the phone.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hello?"

"Oh, Noah!" At the sound of Rachel's voice, Puck grabbed onto Quinn's arm. They heard a dull thump and a small whimper.

"Rachel, baby? Where are you? Are you okay? Please, baby, tell me you're okay."

"Puck, I'm fine. I was just calling to tell you I'm leaving. Don't try to find me. You'll always be in my heart, but I just can't do this, us, anymore. IDK where I'm going, but I'm not coming home. You and I aren't meant to be. JBI: Just believe it. Please tell Danny and Seb that they can return to New York, and that they should officially let my fans know I won't be returning. Also, give Quinn my love. I'm sorry I won't be there when the baby's born. She wanted to keep it a secret though, so don't tell anyone about her being pregnant. Especially Sue. I have to go now, but please, Puck, take to heart everything I said. Please respect my wishes and don't try to find me. I'm sorry."

"Rachel, baby, please don't go."

"Goodbye, Noah."

The line went silent. Nobody moved until Puck spoke.

"Quinn, are you pregnant?"

"No, I don't know why—" She fell silent as Puck grabbed a paper and pencil. He began to write furiously as Quinn read aloud over his shoulder. "Puck, heart, IDK/JBI, Quinn's baby/Sue. Puck what is all of this?"

"Inconsistencies. Rachel never calls me 'Puck' and it's 'in my eyes' not 'in my heart.' She hates text speak, and you're not pregnant. And why Sue?"

"Did Sue take her?" Finn asked apprehensively.

"No, she wouldn't have said it. That phone call was obviously forced." Tina gave Finn a sharp look. Everyone began to speak rapidly. When Seb spoke quietly, almost no one heard him.

"I know who took her."

"What, babe?" Everyone fell completely silent as Danny spoke to his boyfriend.

"I know who took Rachel. I recognized him. It was that guy who came looking for Rachel that one day she was sick. He runs the stalker blog; Benjamin Palestine is his name. He took her."

"Benjamin Palestine? Oh. Oh! Jacob Ben-Israel! It all makes sense now!" Quinn jumped off the couch. "Finn, love, call the detective and tell him to come quickly. Oh, wait, you already did that."

"Who's Jacob Ben Israel?" Danny asked Quinn.

"JBI! Jacob Ben-Israel! He's this creeper who was obsessed with Rachel, well, any girl really, but especially Rachel. She's Jewish, you see. And it sounds like he's still obsessed with her. But he's the one who told our Cheerio coach, Sue, that I was pregnant! She was giving us clues! Oh, when is that detective going to get here? Oh, Puck, isn't this wonderful? We're going to find her! We know who has her!"

Puck sat, looking fearful, and within a few minutes the police were there. As Mercedes explained the phone call to the police, Puck watched the minutes ticking by on the clock. While he knew that Jacob Ben-Israel would not want to kill Rachel, he was worried about getting her back before Jacob did something to her, like rape her. The guy was obsessed with loving her, and Puck was afraid that he would stop at nothing.

The police got the satellite location of Rachel's phone call from the cell phone company, and within the hour, they were all piled into vehicles, heading up the highway to a small industrial town in Michigan. By the time they got there, Michigan police had already set up surveillance and were ready to move into the large warehouse. The detective set Puck and the others up behind the van with the television screens, and on the thermal camera Puck could make out Rachel tied to the bed with Jacob standing over her, hitting her with what appeared to be a gun. He got up and walked to the other side of the room, and that was when the police entered, silently. Through the images on the screens from the police cameras that some of the officers were carrying, Puck was able to see them storm into the room. Puck watched as Jacob pointed the gun at Rachel, who was struggling against the ropes on the bed. Finn, Matt, and Mike had to subdue Puck who was struggling to run into the building. Puck watched as Jacob quickly raised the gun to his own head and shoot. Jacob fell to the floor and some of the officers surrounded him. Rachel was released from the bed and carried out of the building by the officers.

Puck broke away from the boys and ran to Rachel's side. She reached out to him and he quickly took her frail body into his arms. The police hurried them over to the ambulance that was waiting and the paramedics put her onto a gurney. Puck held tightly to her hand as they were rushed to the hospital. An IV was pushed into her arm, replenishing her fluids as she had become severely dehydrated. Several compresses were applied to her body where she had been beaten. She was given a dose of heavy sedatives.

As soon as Rachel was in his arms, time seemed to fly by. What felt like moments later, Rachel was curled up on a hospital bed in Puck's arms. Her x-rays and CT scans had all come back clean, with only some minor bruising on her ribs. She had needed a few stitches for the cut on her head, but all in all, she wasn't in bad shape. Puck was just extremely grateful that they had gotten there before any serious damage could be done.

"Noah?"

"Yeah, baby? Are you okay? Do you need some water? A nurse?"

"No, I'm fine. Everything's just fuzzy."

"That would be the sedatives. They have you on an IV drip of them to keep you from going berserk. Did you want something else, though?"

"Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone. I'm scared."

"Oh, baby, that'll never happen. I'll be here. I love you, okay? I'll always be here for you."

"You love me?"

"Rachel, yes, I love you. These past two days without you have been hell. I never want to be apart from you for the rest of my life. You are my everything, and I love you. I love you so much."

"Noah, I love you too. You were the only thing that kept me going during this incident. Just hearing your voice on the phone gave me so much comfort. Every time he hit me, I just kept thinking of you, and how you would rescue me, and how I'd be in your arms again. And when he talked about raping me, I knew that you were going to be my first, so I'd be okay, because he couldn't do that to me if you were going to be my first. Noah, I love you. And thank you for being with me, and putting up with my craziness. Without you, I don't know what I would've done, or what I'd do now.

"You know, when I was on Broadway, we had this thing called rose kisses. We'd always get these big bouquets of roses at every performance, and sometimes when you smelled them, you'd get this little drop of rosewater dew right on the tip of your nose. We thought it was lucky, and so we'd leave it there until it dried, and then you'd keep smelling the roses all through the night. I always loved rose kisses. They were my splash of color on the otherwise gray existence of my life without you. I missed you, Noah. While I was on Broadway, my life wasn't complete, but now that you're here with me, I feel like this is where I belong."

"Baby, I love your craziness, and your loving heart, and your hot body, and your eyes, and your smile, and everything else about you. I love that you left rosewater on your nose just so you could smell the flowers. I love that you are the one person in the world you can deliver a dramatic and romantic monologue while under the influence of sedatives. I love your metaphorical way of looking at life. I don't have to 'put up' with your quirks because they are what makes me smile and get out of bed every day. I love you. You wouldn't be my Rachel without them. Having you near me is all the home I need, because I belong with you. And you belong in my life. I love you, Rach, so much."

"Noah, I'm tired."

"Just sleep, love. We'll be back home soon, and then I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

"Sounds good. G'night, Noah."

"Good night, love." Puck gently brushed through her silky locks as she snuggled up against him in sleep. In that moment, Puck knew that he could never go to bed alone again. Her deep breathing signaled that she was officially asleep, and Puck began to drift off himself. Before he finally closed his eyes, he whispered softly into her hair.

"I love you Rachel Anisa Puckerman."


	15. Chapter 15

A week later, Puck and Rachel were back in Lima, along with the others who had returned a few days prior. Rachel was feeling better, and her stitches had been removed. But Rachel wasn't okay. She was having horrible nightmares. When she was asleep in Puck's arms, they weren't as bad, but when she fell asleep while he was out of the room, she woke up screaming. Every vision was the same: Jacob standing over her with the gun, beating her senseless, and then him holding the gun to his own head, shooting himself. She could still feel his hot blood on her face and arms.

Her physician recommended that she visit a psychiatrist, but Rachel wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about what had happened. Puck encouraged her to speak with the doctor, saying that he would go too, if she went. Instead, Rachel just returned to Lima to see if the nightmares would go away on their own.

When Rachel got out of the car and walked into Puck's house, she was immediately attacked by the entire glee club. She could feel her heart begin to race and she started to hyperventilate at the group of people around her. She knew they wouldn't hurt her, but it was overwhelming. In the distance, she could hear Puck shouting at them to back up, but her vision was going fuzzy. She felt Puck's strong arms under her as he carried her down the hall to the bedroom.

She laid on the bed, calming down, when a knock on the door woke her from her trance-like state. Quinn entered the room and cautiously sat on the bed beside her.

"Puck told us he was enforcing hospital rules. Only one visitor at a time."

"And you got to be first?"

"I fought them off like a pack of rabid dogs. Oh, Rachel, I missed you. I didn't think I would ever see you again. But now you're back, and things can go back to normal. You're still going to teach, right? And you and Puck are okay?"

"Quinn, I'm just trying to take life as it comes for right now. Everything's still a bit overwhelming, and I've still got two months until school starts. And Noah and I are doing fine. We're doing better than fine. I love him so much, Quinn, and this experience has only made me realize that I don't want to live without him. I can't live without him."

"Rachel, I know he loves you too. If you'd have seen him while you were gone, you'd, well, I really don't know what you'd do. It was horrible. He didn't talk, he didn't eat, he didn't sleep. He just wrapped himself in your blanket until we got there. And then when we did, Finn, Matt, and Mike had to restrain him from barging in there and killing that bastard himself. It was, it was just horrible. Oh, Rachel!" Quinn threw herself into her best friend's arms. They quietly sobbed together until they heard the door open. Puck stood in the doorway, a concerned look on his face.

"Baby, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Noah. We're fine. Just emotional."

"We heard crying."

"It's alright. Just give us a few more minutes and then I'll come out. I think I'm okay to face the crowd. As long as they all stay sitting."

"Are you sure you're ready for that, baby? Because if you're not, I can—"

"Noah Puckerman, please vacate the room and allow Quinn and I to have a few more minutes of girl crying time. I'll be okay. Just save a spot next to you for me."

"Alright, love. See you in a few."

As Puck turned to leave, Quinn reached out to grip her best friend's hand.

"That boy is so in love with you, it's crazy. He says you're his kiss from a rose."

"I know, Quinn, and I love him too. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I want to ask Puck to move in with me. I know it's only been like a week, but I've been in love with him for so long, and after this whole debacle I just want to spend every minute with him, because I don't want to ever lose him again. What do you think?"

"Rachel Anisa Berry. That boy loves you, and I know he'd jump at the chance to wake up every morning with you. And I don't think you can put a timeframe on true love. It moves at its own pace. Just do what you think is right, and chances are, it won't be wrong. But if you want my advice, give it a few days. If you do it right now, he might think it's like some PTSD thing, and that you'll wake up in a few months and kick him out."

"I would never do that."

"I know, and deep down, he knows, but you know Puck. He doesn't always trust his gut, and he sets himself up for disappointment. Just wait a few days."

"Okay, I get what you're saying. Are you ready to go out there?"

"Yeah, but first, how are you doing, Rach? I mean, really, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay. It was scary, and I'm still a little emotional. Like the crowd thing, it was just sudden and overwhelming, but I'm doing okay. I still have nightmares, but I'm going to wait a week to see if they go away. Noah's been great to me, and I really think he's all the help I need. He knows me better than anyone, and this whole experience has just strengthened our relationship. Mainly, I'm just freaked out about seeing Jacob kill himself. He hurt me, but it was still horrifying. I watched someone die, in real life, and that's what I keep seeing in my dreams. But Noah calms me down and makes me feel safe. I think I'll be alright."

"Rachel, just hearing you say that tells me that you're doing well. Seeing as I am a licensed psychologist, I understand that part of the healing process is talking about it, and you seem to have gotten through that just fine."

"Oh, yeah, how's the school psychologist job going for you?"

"It's great. I'm glad we'll be working together next year, but we can talk more about that later. Let's get out there before Puck breaks down the door."


	16. Chapter 16

About six weeks after Rachel had returned to Lima, she and Puck were lying in his bed. Rachel had yet to ask him to move in with her, but the timing never seemed right. She was doing better, the nightmares were gone and she wasn't as overwhelmed. She had agreed to go see a psychologist for a few sessions, but he seemed pleased with her state of mind and had given her a clean bill of mental health. Puck brushed a piece of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead before speaking softly.

"Baby?"

"What is it, Noah?"

"I have a proposition for you."

"Okay?"

"Just hear me out. I know it's a bit fast, but I really love you, and I don't think it would be that big of a change. I want you to move in with me. I mean, we already spend all of our nights here, and ever since Seb and Danny went back to New York, your house has just been sitting there. You don't have to answer right away or anything, I just wanted to toss it out there."

"Noah, I was going to ask you the same thing. Yes, I'll move in with you. I love you, and I don't want to be apart from you. I love waking up in the mornings with your arms around me, and I don't want that to change. But what would we do with my house?"

"I have an idea. I've been contemplating this for some time, and I know a couple who is looking to sublet a house. They're willing to meet with us tomorrow if you want. They're ready to settle down, and they think Lima is the perfect place. I think they have friends or family here or some shit like that."

"Noah, baby, that's perfect. Let's go to sleep so we can be refreshed for the meeting tomorrow."

"That's my Rachel. Always focused on the task at hand."

"Hey, if it weren't for me keeping you grounded, your head would be in the clouds all the time like every other American in this country."

"Ah, yes, insult the Americans. That's what you're supposed to do."

"Noah Abraham Puckerman! You know what I mean."

"I know, baby. Now let's get some sleep so you're well rested for tomorrow. I love you, Rachel."

"I love you too, Noah. Good night."


	17. Chapter 17

Noah woke up the next morning to find Rachel jumping on the bed next to him.

"Noah, wake up!"

"Fuckin' a, Rachel! What is it?"

"Today's the day we meet the couple that's going to move into my house so I can come live with you! We have to get the house ready for them! Or else they might live somewhere else! We have to bake chocolate chip cookies! Now!"

"Jesus Christ! I'm pretty sure they won't care if the house smells like a bakery. From what I understand, they're pretty heart-set on this house."

"How do you know? Maybe they'll hate it. They've never even seen the inside."

"Fine, baby. Go get Quinn to help you bake some cookies so I can sleep." Noah rolled over and buried himself under the covers. Rachel jumped off the bed and walked over to him pressing a kiss to his lips. As Puck sat up to deepen the kiss, he could feel Rachel smile, pulling away. Knowing her plan to get him out of bed, he followed her, pressing his lips closer to hers as she led them to the closet. She broke away and he began to kiss her collarbone. When he felt Rachel unfold a pair of jeans, he chuckled.

"Dammit, baby, isn't the point of me making out with my sexy girlfriend to remove clothes, not put them on."

"That would be, if we weren't headed over to bake cookies and rent out my house."

"Fine. But I'm not putting the clothes on myself. If you want me out of bed so goddam early, you get to do it for me."

"If that's what you want, babe." Rachel slowly inched her way down his body until the jeans were at his feet. She rolled up one leg and eased his foot inside, and then repeated it with the other leg. She slowly inched the jeans up his body until they hung at his waist. His hands were gripping her hips as she slowly fastened the pants. He kept his hands on her waist as she bent over to pick up a clean t-shirt from the floor. She had to stand on her tiptoes to pull the shirt over his head. Then, she turned to grab a navy blue button down shirt. As she slipped it over his arms, he pulled her close into a deep kiss.

"Rachel Berry, only you can make putting on clothes that sexy."

"I try." She slipped out of his grasp and ran out of the house, dancing on the front lawn. Puck quickly brushed his teeth and then ran out to join her. He pulled an arm around her waist as they walked down the street to her house. When they got inside, Rachel pulled out a roll of slice and bake cookies from the fridge.

"I texted Quinn this morning and asked her to pick up some house-selling items from the store. She should be here any minute to help clean."

"Speak of the devil." Puck grinned cheekily as Quinn appeared in the doorway.

"Noah Puckerman, you take that back. I am not the devil. I'm helping you get your hot piece of ass to move in with you ASAP. No offense, Rachel. I know you're more than that"

"None taken, Quinn. I'm glad that you think I'm a hot piece of ass. It makes me feel more sexy. But you, Noah Puckerman, you shouldn't call Quinn Fabray-Hudson the devil. She's a nice lady."

"Whatever you say, babe. I love you too. And Quinn, you're not the devil."

"Thank you Puck. You are forgiven, this time."

"Quinny! We have to clean for the couple buying the house! I put the cookies in the oven. What time is the couple getting here?"

"Oh, Rach, I forgot to tell you, they're already here! The house looks fine, though. But can you run upstairs and grab the papers off the guest bed? I left them up there earlier. Puck and I will greet them."

"Oh my God! I haven't had time to clean! They'll never buy the house! What are we going to do, Noah? I can't—"

"Rachel, baby, it's okay. Just go upstairs, grab the papers, and compose yourself. It'll be fine."

Puck watched Rachel run up the stairs and he and Quinn quickly ran out to the old station wagon parked around the corner. As the two brought the couple into the living room of the house, they waited a few moments for Rachel to reappear.


	18. Chapter 18

Rachel took a few deep breaths before walking down the stairs. If the couple didn't buy her house, she didn't know how long it would take to sell it. She really wanted to move in with Noah, but paying the mortgage on both houses without using one was ridiculous, and it would only postpone her new life with Noah. Rachel knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if the couple didn't buy the house, but she really wanted it to happen. When she got to the living room, she was surprised, at the least, to see familiar faces on the couch.

"Danny! Seb! What are you doing here?"

"We're here to buy your house, of course. Why else would we be here?" Danny grinned evilly at her.

"But you're in New York!"

"After you left, the show wasn't the same. And coming here to Lima made Danny and I realize that having friends and family around you was more important than New York. You're our family, Rachel, and our only friends are here in Lima. Besides, Danny and I decided that when we retired from Broadway, we'd open up a dance studio. We've just decided to do that a bit early, and to do it here in Lima. We're going to be working with the opera house here, as well as the university. We've also got a lot of money saved up, so we'll be set for a long time. We called Mohawk when we decided because we were going to surprise you, and he told us about his plans to ask you to move in with him, leaving us an empty house. So what do you say, love? Sell us your house?" Seb grinned playfully.

"Or your soul, because that works too." Rachel smacked Danny in the arm before gathering them both into a huge hug.

"I love you guys! You're going to be my neighbors!" When she released them, she turned and jumped into Puck's arms. He squeezed her tightly, giving her a passionate kiss. "Noah Puckerman, I love you so much. You are my world, and you've just made me one of the happiest girls alive."

"I love you too, Berry. So much." They kissed some more before Danny jumped in, planting a big kiss on Rachel's lips. Puck growled, pulling Rachel back towards him.

"You know Mohawk, you can avoid my kissing Rachel by refraining from sucking on her tonsils in the presence of others."

"This is coming from you? Last I remember, Rach and I walked in on you guys practically having sex. On her bed!"

"Behind closed doors, when it was just us, might I remind you."

"Boys! Let's stop this. Puck, stop making out with Rachel in front of us. Danny, stop making out with Rachel. The end. Now where's Finn. I want to make out with someone." Quinn gave a fleeting glance as she ran across the street to her own house, leaving the four alone in the living room.

"Rachel, baby, why don't you take the day to catch up with Danny and Seb. I've got some things I have to do, and then we can get your stuff moved into my place. Okay, babe?"

"Are you sure, Noah? That'd be great. I'm going to give Danny and Seb an official tour of the city."

"Sure, I just need Seb's help real quick. Seb?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can you help me out in the back?"

"Um, yeah?"

Danny and Rachel watched their significant others exit the house before they started talking at a mile a minute. When they finally paused, Rachel sighed.

"Oh, Danny, I missed you guys so much. I'm so glad you're here."


	19. Chapter 19

As soon as Puck and Seb shut the door behind them, Puck began to speak.

"Well, this is kind of awkward, but Rachel's giving you guys a tour of the town, and I had some errands I needed to run, without her knowing. Would you be able to keep her away from the mall? Please?"

"Yeah, I can do that. Just text me when you're done there, because I do want to go shopping. What are you doing, though? Kinky sex shop? Male enhancement? What?"

"You can't tell anyone. Not Danny, Quinn, anyone."

"Okay?"

"I have to go to the jewelers to pick up the ring I ordered. For Rachel. I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Oh my God. This is so exciting! Does she have any idea?"

"No, and I want to keep it that way. I want this to be a total surprise. This is a big step for us, but I totally love her, and I want her to be my wife. I know this is quick, but I've been in love with Rachel since high school, and I realized that I couldn't live without her during the whole kidnapping ordeal. I don't want to ever be apart from her again."

"When are you going to ask?"

"We have a date tonight. I'm taking her on a picnic under the stars, and I'm bringing my guitar to sing a song I wrote for her."

"That sounds perfect, Puck."


	20. Chapter 20

"Danny, Seb, can we go to the mall now?" Rachel was dragging her two best friend's down the sidewalk towards the busy city center. Although Lima itself was a small town, it was only a twenty minute drive to the university center, and all of the big city bustle around it. Normally, Rachel enjoyed hanging out downtown, but not when she wasn't allowed to go to the mall.

"Yeah, Seb, can't we go, baby? I really need a new outfit. Please? I'll love you forever." Danny reached around Rachel to tug on his boyfriend's arm.

"Not yet. Let's go get coffee, and then maybe we can go."

"Why can't we just go now, and get coffee in the mall? What's wrong with you, Seb? You love shopping."

"Um, I have a headache, and I need some coffee right now to make it go away."

"That makes no sense, baby. You avoid coffee like the plague when you get a headache. First it was feeding the ducks, then it was the nonfiction section at the library, now this? This isn't you, Seb. What planet are the aliens who abducted you from?" Danny stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Rachel, I need to talk to Danny for a second. Can you meet us in the cafe?" Rachel glared at Seb, before stomping off in the direction of the small coffee shop.

"Okay, Seb, what's going on?"

"Danny, you have to swear on Prada itself that you won't divulge a single moment of this conversation. Got it, love?"

"Yeah, okay, I swear on Prada, Dolce, and Gabbana. What the hell is going on with you?"

"Mohawk asked me to keep Rachel away from the mall until he texted me."

"Okay, why? What's he doing there? Stocking up on male-enhancement cream?"

"Um, well, he's at the jewelry store. Shopping for a ring, more specifically."

"Oh my God! Oh my God! My little baby Rachel is getting married! Sebastian Ross, you whore! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you can't keep a secret for your life. But they're going on a picnic tonight, and he's going to ask, so don't spoil it for her."

"I promise. But now we really have to go to the mall and pick out the perfect engagement outfit for her. Something slutty, yet innocent. Fancy, yet suitable for a romp in the grass. What are you waiting for lover? Call him and tell him we're on our way, so he'd best hurry up."

"Okay, hold on." Seb pulled out his phone and dialed Puck's number. He waited until Puck answered.

"Seb, I was just going to call you. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep Danny and Rachel away from their second home. You almost done?"

"I'm getting in my truck as we speak. The mall is yours. Thank you so much for helping me."

"Yeah, yeah, I just want the leopard print garter that Rachel will be sporting at the wedding, so you'd best aim it at me when you toss it. Got it?"

"Sure. Absolutely. Well, I'll let you escort Danny and Rach over here now, so have fun with that."

"You know it. Bye."

"Bye." Seb hung up, grabbed his lover's hand, and took off running down the street. "Let's go get her married!"


	21. Chapter 21

Rachel and Puck were laying on the picnic blanket by the lake, looking up at the stars. Puck had a small campfire going, and Rachel was cuddling against him. He kissed the top of her head, and began to sit up.

"Rachel, baby, I have a gift for you. You've been the best thing in my life, since like, ever, and I've been trying to find a way to show you that. And so I decided to write you a song, because music is, well, you know. So if you could just hold on until after I sing this to say anything, because this is extremely nerve-wracking, and I've got something I have to say when I'm done." Rachel simply nodded as he grabbed his guitar. He began to softly strum, and then he started to sing.

_There used to be a graying tower alone on the sea._

_You became the light on the dark side of me._

_Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill._

_But did you know,_

_That when it snows,_

_My eyes become large and_

_The light that you shine can be seen._

_Baby,_

_I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray._

_Ooh,_

_The more I get of you,_

_The stranger it feels, yeah._

_And now that your rose is in bloom._

_A light hits the gloom on the gray._

_There is so much a man can tell you,_

_So much he can say._

_You remain,_

_My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby_

_To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny._

_Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?_

_But did you know,_

_That when it snows,_

_My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen._

_Baby,_

_I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray._

_Ooh, the more I get of you_

_The stranger it feels, yeah_

_Now that your rose is in bloom._

_A light hits the gloom on the gray,_

_I've been kissed by a rose on the gray,_

_I've been kissed by a rose_

_I've been kissed by a rose on the gray,_

_...And if I should fall along the way_

_I've been kissed by a rose_

_...been kissed by a rose on the gray._

_There is so much a man can tell you,_

_So much he can say._

_You remain_

_My power, my pleasure, my pain._

_To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny, yeah_

_Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby._

_But did you know,_

_That when it snows,_

_My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen._

_Baby,_

_I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray._

_Ooh, the more I get of you_

_The stranger it feels, yeah_

_Now that your rose is in bloom,_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray._

_Yes I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray_

_Ooh, the more I get of you_

_The stranger it feels, yeah_

_And now that your rose is in bloom_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray_

_Now that your rose is in bloom,_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray._

When he stopped, Rachel had tears rolling down her cheeks, but she remembered his request and remained silent. He knelt in front of her, taking her face softly between his hands and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Rachel Anisa Berry, I love you more than life. I can't imagine ever being apart from you, and I don't want to. I want to be able to go to bed every morning with you in my arms, and wake up the same way. I want us to have children together. I want us to grow old, and fall in love with each other every single day. Rachel, my life and my love, I want you to be my wife. Marry me, baby?"

"Oh, Noah! Yes! One thousand times yes! I love you so much, and that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I want all of those things, and I want them to be with you. Noah Abraham Puckerman, and Rachel Anisa Puckerman. I love you, Noah. I love you."

Puck gathered her up into a huge hug and pulled her back down onto the blanket. He settled down on top of her, pressing his hips into hers and began to kiss her passionately. His tongue teased her lips open before plunging into her mouth. Their tongues danced together, twisting and colliding, fighting for dominance. He broke away and began to kiss down her neck, biting and licking and sucking. She was arching against him, grinding her hips into his hard member. Before he lost control, he pulled away and rolled off of her, laying on his back. His hand found hers and he gently squeezed it.

"Oh, yeah, Rachel. I forgot something."

"What?"

"Hold on." Puck fumbled around in his pocket before pulling out the ring box. He slid the engagement ring onto her finger. It was a white gold band with a woven design. The center stone was a dark emerald, with two diamond on either side. She couldn't see it in the dark, but the Hebrew symbol for "love" was engraved on the inside. The wedding ring he had already ordered matched the woven design, but along the inside, was written in Hebrew, "I've been kissed by a rose on the gray." He knew she would like it, and hopefully, they would be married very soon.


	22. Epilogue

Noah once again woke up in the arms of his wife. As she groaned and stretched, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him as his hand slid over her stomach. He could feel the flutter of kicks against his hand and he bent down to press a quick kiss to her stomach.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

"Good. Pregnant, but good."

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

They were going to the hospital today to induce labor on their twins. The doorbell rang, and Puck slowly helped Rachel sit up in the bed. They walked downstairs to the front door and let the glee club in it's entirety. By now, it was common knowledge that every big event in their lives included the glee club. They all walked into the living room and sat down. Tina was on Artie's lap, Mercedes , Matt, Mike, and Kurt were sprawled on one couch, and Brittany and Santana were on the floor with their adopted daughter Charlotte "Charlie" Lopez. Danny and Seb occupied one love seat, and Quinn and Finn sat in the other with their daughter Linn. Noah sat Rachel down on a seat before going into the nursery. He returned with their other two children. Gili Aliza was three, and Adin Einan was eighteen months. He gave Gili to Danny, and he gave Adin to Sebastian to hold. They all sat for a few hours, talking and catching up before they all loaded into their respective vehicles.

The drive to the hospital was fairly quiet for the Puckerman family, at least more so than usual. Rachel was admitted and was soon in labor. Eleven hours later, the Puckerman family added two more members. Rinna Aviv, and her younger brother, by fourteen minutes, Zamir Chaim. But the Puckerman family was much larger than the six. It included fourteen others. As the entire family, glee club and all, entered the hospital room, they gathered around the bed. Noah was holding Zamir and Adin, while Rachel had Gili snuggled between herself and Noah with Rinna in her arms. The moment that everyone was together, Noah felt perfection. This, his family, his life, his love, and his existence, this was perfection.


End file.
